1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to board games, and more particularly to chess- and checker-like board games and a game board for play of those games. The present games are similar to the games of chess and checkers, but the game board and rules allow for play by from two to eight persons, as desired.
2. Description of the Related Art
Board games have been popular leisure time activities for centuries. For example, the game of chess was originally developed in India, on the order of 2500 years ago. The game of checkers may go back even further. However, the classic, conventional games of chess and checkers permit play by only two persons at a time, from opposite sides of the square board.
However, the play of a conventional game of chess or checkers often seems to draw spectators who oftentimes offer suggestions or advice, in addition to merely observing the progress of the game. Such kibitzers are universally known as an adjunct of two person games, particularly board games in which the observation of the progress of play from both players is clearly observable by all who wish to take note of the game.
Clearly, some modification of the classic, conventional games of chess and checkers to allow play by more than two persons is desirable. The present invention responds to this need by providing chess-like and checker-like board games, and a game board for the play thereof, which allow from two to eight persons to play the selected game simultaneously, competing against one another. The present games are closely related to the conventional games of chess and checkers, but are modified to allow simultaneous play by more than two players across the larger playing area provided. The present game board includes a square central playing area, but further includes two starting areas along each of the four sides of the board, permitting up to eight players to participate simultaneously.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,187 issued on Oct. 18, 1988 to Joseph W. Deak, Jr., titled “Modified Chess Game Method Of Play,” describes a chess-like board game providing for up to four players, with each player controlling playing pieces initially arrayed along a starting extension along each of the four sides of the board. The central portion of the Deak, Jr. game board comprises a matrix of only eight by eight squares, identical to the board configuration of a classical chess or checkerboard. This provides room for only one set of playing pieces along each side of the board, thus permitting a maximum of only four players to play. The present game board, with its central playing area of eighteen by eighteen positions, provides sufficient room along each edge for two sets of playing pieces with two spaces or positions between the sets along each side. Thus, up to eight players may play simultaneously using the present game. Moreover, the present invention also provides for the play of a checker-like game; Deak, Jr. does not disclose any form of a checker-like game.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,669 issued on Jun. 12, 1990 to John T. Perry, titled “Method Of Playing A Multiple Player Chess Game,” describes a chess-like game for up to four players, with one set of playing pieces arrayed along each of the four sides of the board for four players. As in the game and game board of the '187 U.S. patent to Deak, Jr. discussed immediately above, the Perry game board includes only an eight by eight matrix of playing positions in the center of the board. This provides room for only a single set of playing pieces, and thus a single player, along each side or edge of the board for the Perry game. The present game and game board, with its considerably greater number of playing positions in the board center, provides two separate initial playing areas for setting up two separate sets of playing pieces along each side or edge. Moreover, the present game also provides for the play of a checkers-like game for up to eight players, using the two starting positions per side provided on the game board of the present invention. Perry makes no disclosure of the play of any other game than a game closely resembling chess, in his disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,762 issued on Dec. 24, 1996 to Jon P. Wearley, titled “Method Of Playing A Quadrilateral Chess Game,” describes two different game boards providing for the play of chess or checkers by up to four persons. The game boards each include single starting extensions along each of the four sides, with the chess board having extensions which are two rows deep and the checker board having extensions which are three rows deep in order to accommodate the initial starting array for checkers. Wearley modifies his game board by providing promotion lines thereon, in order that pawns or checkers need not be advanced further than in conventional chess or checkers for promotion. In contrast, the present game board includes a considerably larger central playing area of eighteen by eighteen squares, with two initial positions along each edge of the board. Rather than modifying the board to permit play using conventional moves, the present game modifies the movement of certain pieces for both chess and checkers, in order to avoid unduly long travel across the larger board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,334 issued on Nov. 25, 1997 to George W. Duke, titled “Expanded Chess-Like Game,” describes a two person game played on a slightly expanded board having eight rows and ten columns or files. Two additional pieces are provided, which have moves unlike conventional chess pieces. Duke makes no provision for more than two players, as his board cannot accommodate multiple player initial positions along all four sides, as can the present chess-like game. Also, Duke makes no mention of any checkers-like game in his disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,754 issued on Dec. 2, 1997 to Ali R. Rostami, titled “Advanced Chess Game And Method Therefor,” describes a chess-like game having a laterally expanded board to ten positions wide, essentially identical to the board of the '334 U.S. patent to Duke, discussed immediately above. Rostami provides two additional four additional pieces of two types per player, to fill out the two rows of ten positions each comprising the starting positions of his game. However, due to the relatively shallow depth of the board, i.e. having only eight rows, no provision is made by Rostami for the addition of any further players playing from positions along the sides of the board. The Rostami game thus more closely resembles the game of the Duke '334 U.S. patent, than it does the present game or games.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,602 issued on Sep. 12, 2000 to Mackie C. McLoy, titled “Enhanced Four Handed Variation Of Chess,” describes a chess-like game employing additional pieces having different moves than conventional chess pieces, in addition to the conventional chess pieces. The McLoy game board includes four initial positions, with one along each edge of the square board. Pawns may initially move up to three positions, in order to advance play across the larger than standard board. However, the McLoy game board only provides for a single set of playing pieces, and single player, along each side of the board. In contrast, the present multiple player game allows two players along each side of the board, for up to eight players. Moreover, McLoy makes no disclosure of a checkers-like game.
U.S. patent Publication Ser. No. 2002/167,129 published on Nov. 14, 2002, titled “Modular Board Game Apparatus,” describes a number of embodiments of game boards having alternating patterns of positions in their rows and columns. The Stanton game boards are not true checkerboards, in that they do not have a square configuration. Rather, they are distorted to alter their shapes, and the shapes of the individual positions, to other than square. Some of the boards are altered by distorting the positions to provide their separation along radial or diagonal lines, thereby providing separate sides for the placement of playing pieces by more than two players. Stanton also provides certain specialized rules for chess to go with his multiple player game boards, but is silent regarding any specialized rules for checkers, which would appear to be necessary considering the non-square configuration of his boards. In any event, the '129 publication does not provide any game board configurations permitting multiple players and playing positions along each side or edge of the board, as is done with the present multiple player games.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 340,953 issued on Nov. 2, 1993 to Ronald A. Langlotz, titled “Game Board,” illustrates a design for a folding square board having an eight by eight matrix of positions in the center, with a folding wing of two rows extending from each side. Each folding wing can accommodate only one set of chess pieces, for a maximum of only four players. No playing pieces or rules of play are disclosed in the Langlotz game board design.
British Patent Publication No. 1,030,519 published on May 25, 1966, titled “Board Games,” describes another four player chess-like game in which the board has an extension along each of its four sides for the initial placement of the playing pieces. The '519 game requires a partnership of two players against two other players, unlike the present game. The '519 publication provides different rules for the movement of the pawns, in which they cannot be moved toward the side of the board along which one's partner's playing pieces are initially placed. While the present game also adjusts the pawn moves in order to accelerate progress across its larger board, the present game also provides for twice the number of players as the '519 game.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,203,660 published on Oct. 26, 1988, titled “Board Game,” describes a game having an eight-by-eight central matrix of positions, with a four-by-eight matrix extending from each side. The '660 game is played in two stages, with the first stage involving the placement of various segments on the board to represent different terrain features, and the second stage involving the movement of playing pieces over the terrain segments. The '660 publication provides for up to four players, but the playing pieces are intended to simulate military movement, rather than being closely related to the movement of chess pieces.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus multiple player chess- and checker-like board games solving the aforementioned problems are desired.